Entries in Patrick Murray
(3)

The map could still be challenged in court by a number of parties. The state’s Republican Party chairman, Assemblyman Jay Webber, has not ruled out a legal challenge and told NJ Spotlight, an online news service, that his party would review its options and “decide pretty quickly” if it would challenge the Democratic plan.

Murray says that the only chance for the map to be overturned would be to base a challenge on a map drawn by the Bayshore Tea Party, which leaves county boundaries largely intact. “It is a sound map in its own way,” says Murray. “That may be the only shot there is to overturn this map in court.” However, he believes that the principles on which the map chosen by the commission was laid out are consistent with the principles applied to every New Jersey legislative map in the last four decades and finds it hard to envision a scenario in which the court would overturn the map on state or federal constitutional grounds.

Not sure how we missed this when it came out, the article is now 10 days old.

CORRECTION: A big thank you to Mike in the comments for pointing out the error in the legend on our map. The incorrect map (which will remain available HERE) stated that LD-25 was composed of "Morris / Union".

The correct county delineation for LD-25 is "Morris/Warren". We have posted the correct map below as a JPG and it is available for download in PDF below.

We apologize for the error.

While appreciating Patrick Murray's swing at making a "Constitutional Map", the BTPG Redistricting Committee is proud to introduce the only truly Constitutional Map released thus far in New Jersey's decennial foray into map-making:

Except for what appears to be an inadvertent split of Egg Harbor Township between districts 1 and 2 (which will require some re-tooling), the map's parameters are solid. It also maintains and perhaps enhances minority representation (basically as well as the map proposed by the minority coalition!) and provides for real competition for control of the next legislature. Of course, it is unkind to incumbents, and thus contrary to what Rosenthal has laid out as his priorities. On the whole, a map worth adding to the discussion.

Funny how things work out for everyone when you do it the right way; enhances minority representation, provides for real competition and is unkind to incumbents...we couldn't have asked for a better outcome.

The New Jersey census data has arrived. Now the process of legislative redistricting can begin in earnest. If you have been following media reports about the process you may think that a number of decisions have already been made. Well, that’s what the 10 partisan commissioners would like you to think. Here’s my take on three items that the media has reported.1. “The 11th member of the Commission will be Rutgers Professor Alan Rosenthal.” We don’t know that, although it has been reported as a foregone conclusion. The choice of this member is at the sole discretion of Chief Justice Stuart Rabner.

I have had the privilege of working with Professor Rosenthal and there are many reasons why he would be a good choice. He is undoubtedly the nation's foremost expert on state legislatures, and, importantly to this process, is fair-minded.

But there is also a reason why he would not be a good choice. Both political parties are desperate to have the Chief Justice pick him!

Here’s what we do know. Justice Rabner asked both parties to submit a list of potential candidates. The media has reported – repeatedly – that Rosenthal’s name appeared on both lists and therefore he is the likely 11th member. How did they get this supposedly confidential information? It did not come from the Chief Justice.

Both political parties decided to leak this information to the press. And then leak it again in case you missed it the first time. And then finally “admit” it in a public hearing. This has obviously been an attempt to make this choice a fait accompli.

Did any other names aside from Rosenthal’s appear on both lists? I doubt it. In fact, I wouldn’t be surprised if the Democrats and Republicans reached an agreement on this choice before submitting their “independent” lists to Justice Rabner.

At the end of the day, what both sides are most afraid of is the unknown. Alan Rosenthal is a known commodity who has the utmost respect for the job legislators do – “heavy lifting,” as he calls it in one of his books on the subject.

The ultimate irony would be if the 11th member was someone who appeared on neither party’s list. We shall have to wait and see.

2. “According to constitutional guidelines, the populations of each district can be no more than 5% above or below the ideal district size.” Specifically, we have been told that if New Jersey’s ideal legislative district includes 220,000 people, the individual districts must be between 209,000 and 231,000 residents.

That’s not entirely accurate, according to the experts I consulted at the National Conference of State Legislatures. The state Constitution specifies a much broader 20% margin on either side. But this has been overridden by a federal standard allowing for no more than a maximum 10% “range” between the smallest and largest district. However, that federal standard is calculated differently than what the media has been reporting.